Combined bulletproof shield and desk item

Abstract

An apparatus is provided having a rigid bulletproof member enclosed in a housing of flexible material. A pair of handles is coupled to the housing to enable a user to operate the apparatus in a first mode by grasping the handles and locating the housing to shield the user from one or more bullets, and at other times in a second mode with the back surface of the housing upon a desk or other surface. In the second mode that apparatus serves as a typical desktop item of a desk pad enabled by providing multiple holders along the front surface for retaining one or more corners or a portion of the top and/or bottom of a rectangular member or item, such as a desktop calendar, blotter paper or media, paper pad, or the like.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus providing both a bulletproof shield and a desk item locatable upon the top surface of a desk comprising:
 a rigid bulletproof member; 
 a housing enclosing said bulletproof member, in which said housing has exterior front and a back surfaces, and said housing when held by a user is sized to shield at least the upper torso, head, neck, and arms, of the user; 
 at least one pair of handles coupled to said housing to enable a user to operate said apparatus in a first mode by grasping one of said handles in each hand of the user and locating said apparatus to shield at least the upper torso, head, neck, arms, and hands of the user from one or more bullets, and at other times said apparatus being operable in a second mode with said back surface upon the top surface of a desk; and 
 four pockets along said front surface, each of said pockets have an opening oriented for receiving in the pocket a different one of four corners of a rectangular member so that the rectangular member is retained along said front surface, and thereby facilitate use of the apparatus in said second mode as a common desk item. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said housing is of flexible material and has a closed end and an open end through which said bulletproof member is received in said housing, and said apparatus further comprising means for releasably closing said open end when said member is received in said housing. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said rectangular member is a desktop calendar or blotter. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said housing is made of flexible fabric material. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said housing is made of nylon material. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said housing is rectangular shaped. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said housing fits over said bulletproof material to limit movability of said bulletproof material within said housing. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said handles are along said front surface. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said handles are along said front surface, each of said handles is near different ones of opposite sides centered between top and bottom ends of said housing. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said apparatus when operated in said second mode said back surface is locatable parallel with the top surface of the desk. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said apparatus in said second mode lies 1 inches or less in height upon the desk.